Product Description

Each player is the director of an expedition intent on exploring Tikal in search of the secret paths that lead to the temples and precious treasures that have remained hidden for over 1000 years. A player receives points during four scoring rounds for each recovered treasure and for each temple that he controls. But, both temples and treasures can change hands. The expedition that earns the most points exploring Tikal wins the game.

Product Information

Language Requirements:
Game components are language-independent.
Manufacturer's rules are printed in multiple languages (including English).
This is an international edition or domestic edition of an imported item.

Contents:

1 game board

36 terrain hexagons

24 treasure wafers

48 square temple tiles

4 expedition leaders

72 expedition workers

8 camps

4 scoring markers

4 rule summary cards

4 turn indicators

rules

Product Reviews

Ok, this game is a Spiel Des Jahres game of the year winner from 1999, the same year my
Camaro was built, and rightfully so (the game not my Camaro). This game is AWESOME! But,
it is also not for the initiate gamer, or the timid. This will make the third review I've made of
a Spiel Des Jahres game of the year winner from 1999 to 2001 (CF my reviews of Torres and
Carcassonne). I have a lot more to go, although I have played and reviewed Rummikub too,
so you might want to go check that out as well, and I guess that makes 4 reviews! I never
even knew Rummikup won up to a few weeks ago! I also have a public wish list of as many
Spiel Des Jahres winners as I could find here from as early as I could go back (1978). I hope
to one day offer a review for each winner. Anyway I'm getting off subject here, or am I? It
occurs to me that I've given ALL the previous Spiel Des Jahres winners I've reviewed a
favorable review so far, therefore I'm willing to say this much... I believe overall if YOU decide
to buy ANY game that won this same award, that it's more than fair to say that THAT game
will also ROCK. I really feel that the boys and girls that run the Spiel Des Jahres know what
they're doing over there in Essen.

From the same design team that brought us Torres, Tikal from what I understand is one of a
trilogy set in Central and South America. I have not played those other games, I have played
this game. And it plays very well.

It is a bit complicated in it's play, and if your familiar with Torres, then you should be able to
grasp this game. The box says 2-4 players for 90 minutes, some descriptions say 20 to 30
minutes learn. Once you do that, the game becomes quicker to you each time. My friend and
I have only played it three times, and we can bang a game out in about an hour, shaving 30
minutes off the box markings.

I would not however recommend this game right away to any novice gamer as stated earlier.
This is a complex game, with fairly advanced parameters, and multiple levels of strategy. If
you really must insist on playing this game before trying something more easy like say,
Torres, you might be able to grasp this game in about a half hour, if you've either: played an
RPG like D&D or you're familar with the German Style of gaming. Otherwise it could take you
considerably longer to figure out.

I love building games, where one either builds with a card game (Citadels, Illuminati, Water
Works), builds with tiles (Carcassonne, Rummikub, Torres) or just games in general where
there's a planned progression (Chess, Pente, Dominos). This game certainly delivers all that
and more. I can certainly see where there could be many expansion modules for this game.
Whether you add a new set of decks or offer alternate decks, a larger board to introduce room
for more tiles, and players... say 2-6 players? Or just the addition of new and different set of
treasures to find, there are many avenues the manufacturer could take this game. I think
the mechanics of this game are brilliant. I think the design, and layout, and especially the
printing are also brilliant. I would love to see some expansions for this game, as long as it's
done within reason. Who here doesn't think Hans Im Glück didn't go a bit overboard on the
whole Carcassonne theme (no matter how much you love or hate Carcassonne)???? <raises
hand> <loves Carcassonne too>

Now, I have not played any of the other games in this theme, but I have played Torres (CF.
my review). I think that Torres makes a great jumping off platform for Tikal. Torres, to Tikal is
a logical transition and, Torres is quick to learn and play, and will teach the mechanics of this
game. The designers, Kiesling and Kramer, seem to know what they're doing, I will certainly
keep playing their games, and looking out for new ones they create. I can't wait to own my
own version of Tikal, so until then, I will just have to continue playing it at Kevin's house. But
I did win the very first time I played this, and the second time too.

I had never heard of Tikal until I saw it at a local Board Game
Cafe (one of those wonderful places where you can test out
games and have a snack with friends here in South Korea). I
would eye it on the shelf, but I never got the nerve to play it
thinking it would be one of those games with complex rules that
would take half the evening trying to comprehend before I could
get around to actually playing it. I only wish I had tried it
month's ago!

When the Board Game Cafe announced it was closing, I
lined up
to buy some of the games he had, and Tikal was top of my list.
The board design and the packaging catch your eye, but the real
fun comes in the actual play. It is an extremely genrous game
giving each player 10 action points to play each turn and the
chance to control your destiny with carefully placed
markers.

The premise is that players are excavating the temples of
Tikal in
Guatmala and earning points from discovering treasure and
uncovering and laying claim to temples. Every action taken is
strategic from where you place the terrain hexagons to how well
you distribute your "team" throughout the dig site.

We began the game feeling a bit overwhelmed at how much was
required of us per turn, but after each of us had taken our
first
turns, we soon began to see the multiple levels of strategy
involved and started getting competitive right away. Just when
you think you have the game figured out, an unexpected volcano
erupts causing players to scurry to retain and claim as many
points as they can, and with 10 action points per turn, it
can be a
large pay-off for the keen-eyed player.

About half-way through the game, we were out of our seats
hovering over the table anticipating the next moves we would be
making and praying the volcano (the point at which points are
scored) would delay just a bit longer until we had secured one
more treasure to make a complete set or had stationed a temple
guard to guarantee the value of that excavation.

Even more rewarding was the notion that any one of us
could be
the winner and the top excavator would not be revealed until
all
the points were tallied. It is not a foregone conclusion
who the
winner will be and that one point you manage to secure could be
the one that makes the difference.

The Board Game Cafe may be gone now, but thankfully I
escaped
with the real treasure! Tikal is a real find.

Tikal is a unique, medium-weight strategy
game. The board and overall gameplay are
different every time.

You must carefully plan how to use your
limited resources each turn. You have to stay
on your toes or your opponent will spoil your
plans. You may think you have a little area of
the board carved out just for yourself, only to
have your opponent plunk down a base camp
right there and begin grabbing those
remaining empty spaces.

Two possible negatives in this game
are "analysis paralysis" and the fact that you
have very little to do during other players'
turns. But if all players agree to play
expeditiously, these two things aren't too
much problem. And if you do have slow turn-
takers, you can always use a timer. But
despite this, Tikal is still one of the best games
I own.

I have not played the auction variant
described in the rules, but I've heard it's more
challenging.

Our favorite family strategy game from last year still "tikals" our fancy. Starting from a small clearing in a corner of the board, use the hexagonal tiles to explore a jungle rich with tempting treasures and mysterious temples. You, as an underfunded explorer, need to move, hire workers, excavate temples, take treasures, add tents, and compete with other explorers. Unfortunately, your allotted 10 action points just will not suffice. Too bad. Volcano hexes erupt into scoring rounds. To obliterate any traces of randomness, try the variant in which the hexagonal tiles are auctioned off. This is a game that is beautifully produced and well-integrated with its theme.

Germany's Game of the Year is a brilliant production that fits its theme extraordinarily well. Also our choice for Best in Family Strategy, it boasts a gorgeous gameboard, attractive pieces and intense, fascinating gameplay. The board starts out as a jungle which is cleared, little by little, as members of each expedition search for and claim objects of value. Each player in turn picks and plays a hexagon, which represents a clearing.

Some hexagons have temples, which you can slowly excavate to earn extra points. Some hold treasures you can purchase. Some are clearings on which you may pitch a tent and subsequently add workers without trudging all the way from base camp. A scoring round erupts when a Volcano hex appears.

You get 10 Action Points per turn with which to pay the costs of getting treasures, excavating temples, adding tents, bringing more workers onto the board, or just moving from hex to hex. You will quickly discover that 10 Action Points are not enough to do even half the things you want to.

This is a masterpiece that both casual and fanatic gamers will enjoy. For an even keener battle, try the Auction Variation, where players bid for one of a selection of faceup hexagons.

Tikal will bring out the inner explorer in you, and you won't even need mosquito netting or a pith helmet.

Your jeep bounces crazily as you zip along the secret path to the lost
Mayan temple you discovered not two days ago. It's been a race to
uncover the temple's riches, and you know that time is short. Soon
your competitors will discover your find and will
try to wrest control of it from you by swarming the site with workers
of their own. Can you excavate the site and hold onto it long enough
to claim the discovery as your own?

In Ravensburger's new game, Tikal, you play the part of an Expedition Leader
looking to unearth as many riches as possible in the Mayan site named
Tikal. Each player attempts to control as many treasures and temples
as he can over four scoring rounds. The player best able to use his
limited resources to outmaneuver his opponents is declared the winner.

Mmmmm... can you smell it? That's atmosphere, baby. Tikal's got
it to burn. The whole package adds up to a game that feels nicely
integrated with its theme. The board, the jungle tiles, the temple and
treasure counters, the player
aids -- all done up in suitably Mayan-like graphics. The bits are all
gorgeous and they sure are plentiful. And the nicest part -- they all
come in a box that has a tray insert that's specially designed to hold
the components. Very classy.

First, there's the board. It's big and sturdy, with nice jungle
graphics on it and a scoring track running around the outside of it.
It has hexes overlaid on it where the jungle tiles will be placed.
The lower left-hand corner has four hexes already filled in. These
depict a central base camp that anyone can use to deploy workers and
two temples that are up for grabs in the beginning of the game.

Next come the jungle tiles. These big hexes depict one of four
things; plain jungle, temples, treasure sites, and volcanoes.
On the back of each jungle hex is a letter of the alphabet -- they're
in groups so that higher-numbered temples come out later in the
game, and they divide the volcano tiles (Tikal's version of Wertung
cards) up so that the scoring rounds are spaced evenly throughout
the game. Each jungle tile can have from one to
three "stepping stones" on each of its six sides -- these are used to
calculate the cost to move from one hex to its neighbor.

Then we have the temple and treasure counters. The temple
counters are placed on temple tiles that have been placed on the board,
and represent the efforts of an expedition to uncover more of a temple,
thereby finding more riches. The treasure counters are placed on the
treasure tiles as they're laid on the board - each treasure
tile depicts how many of the counters are placed on
it when it is placed. Once all of the treasure counters have been
claimed from a treasure site, that's it.

Finally, each player has a wooden base camp, a number of workers
(little wooden cylinders) and one expedition leader (a big wooden
cylinder). These are used for exploration, digging, treasure
acquisition, and temple guarding.

To start a round, a number of jungle tiles are turned up and
"auctioned" off. Each player starts with 20 points on the scoring
track. The players then take turns bidding for the right to select
the first jungle tile, using their victory points
as "cash". Once a player wins the auction, he places his jungle tile
next to any already placed jungle tile (the four filled-in
hexes in the lower left-hand corner are considered
'already placed'). Thus, the board fills in from left to right.
Each player then has 20 Action Points to spend on various actions.

It costs 1 AP to move a worker from your reserves to
a base camp. It costs APs equal to the number of "stepping stones" a
worker must cross to move a worker from one hex to the next. If there
are no stepping stones in the direction the worker wishes to go, he can
not cross on that hex. Thus, it can cost
from one to six APs to move a worker were you want him to go. One of
the keys to stymieing your opponents is the placement of jungle hexes
so as to allow yourself easy access to a nice juicy treasure trove,
while ensuring that the cost for them to move a worker in is prohibitive.

You may place your base camp on any clear jungle tile at a cost of
5 AP. This allows you to bring your workers in to that camp, as
opposed to the camp at the lower left-hand corner of the board. Since
the temple values increase as the board fills in from left
to right, it soon becomes prohibitive to move a worker from your
reserves to the new areas, so it's important that you establish your
new base camp closer to the right side of the board.

Each temple tile depicts a partially uncovered temple with a
number of the top of it. When a scoring
round occurs, whoever has the majority of workers at the site scores
that number of points. There are a few wrinkles added to this. First,
a player may spend 2 AP to have a worker dig down to another
layer of the temple. This allows the player to place a
temple counter on top of the temple, increasing the number on top of it
by one. The player may also place a guard on the temple at a cost of
5AP, and only if he has the majority of workers at the site.
If a player opts to do this, he places one of his
workers on top of the temple, and the rest of his workers at the site
go back to his reserves -- which can be a serious hit,
since you spent a lot of APs to get those guys where they were,
so one must be careful to try and move workers off site prior to doing
that if possible. Once a temple is guarded, it can only be scored by
the guarding player. A player may only place two guards per game.

A player may also have his workers recover treasure.
When a treasure tile is laid, a number of treasure counters
equal to the icons on the tile are placed face-down on the tile. A
player may move a worker there and spend 3 AP per worker to have each
worker recover one treasure. Each treasure counter is worth one point.
However, there are eight different types of
treasure counters, and if you can get matching sets you'll
do better. A pair is worth 3 points and a triplet is worth 6
points. You may at any time on your turn do a forced exchange of
treasure counters with another player at a cost of 3AP. However, you
may never break up another player's pairs or triplets.

When a volcano tile is chosen (not drawn) by someone, then
a scoring round occurs. The player who chose the volcano tile goes
first, and scoring then proceeds in a clockwise fashion. Each player
gets a 'free' 10 AP to spend prior to scoring, and then that player's
position is scored. Thus, the scoring round is very fluid and dynamic,
and a single temple could be scored many times.
Once everyone has scored, the player of the volcano places the volcano
tile (now a 'dead' space, acting only as a blocker since no passage is
allowed through the volcano) and takes his turn as normal.
There are three scoring rounds, and after the last jungle tile is placed
there is one final scoring round.

Tikal got a lot of play at this year's Gathering of
Friends, and the reaction was very positive. The few negative comments
I heard centered on the down time between each player's turn. The game is
very fluid and a lot can change between each player's turn, so that
you are somewhat forced to wait until your turn to do any serious
planning. Since you only have 10 AP to spend, it can lead to 'perfect
planners' going into vapor lock, staring at the board as they compute the
optimal actions to take. As usual, my advice to you is to lean in, get
nice and close to them, and scream 'ARE YOU DONE YET?!?' as loudly as you
possibly can. Do this every three minutes until they get the hint.

Tikal has tons of flavor, allowing you to easily fall into the
role of an Indian Jones-style character during play -- 'The
Cross of Coranado will stay with ME, thank you very much!', said as you
snatch the match to your treasure pair from another
player. The bits are gorgeous and when the board is nearly finished,
you can't help but admire how beautiful it is. It's got absorbing
gameplay and allows you to storm in, cap off a temple your friend has
been building up for turns, beat up his workers, and take control of his
temple -- all the while laughing like some mad treasure-crazed fool. What
more could you ask for? Recommended.